For illuminating large spaces or objects, such as in road lighting applications, a number of lamps is used, which together illuminate the space or objects. A lighting condition at a first location may however be desired to be different at a second location. Therefore, a lamp operating parameter of a first lamp may be selected to be different from a lamp operating parameter of a second lamp.
In road lighting applications, for example, a road may be illuminated during nighttime and/or during specific weather conditions. Usually, lamps used for road lighting are on or off. However, for energy saving, i.e. energy consumption reduction, road lighting may be dimmed during low traffic hours and/or during dusk and dawn and/or other predetermined conditions. Whether a lamp of the road lighting is dimmed may be dependent on the location of the lamp. For example, a lamp for lighting a highway (motorway), a main road or a street may require different settings, i.e. at least one different operating parameter. Further, a lamp near a street section may require a different setting compared to a lamp near a straight part of that street. Hence, each lamp may need its own settings, i.e. set of lamp operating parameters comprising at least one lamp operating parameter.
At a manufacturing site, a lamp control circuit comprised in a lamp system may be assembled. It is known to program the settings for each lamp in a lamp control circuit at the manufacturing site and provide each lamp system with a detectable unique code. A number of lamp systems is brought to the location where they are to be installed. Each lamp system is then selected based on the code and installed at the corresponding location. Hence, a lighting plan is to be prepared prior to installing the lamp systems, each lamp control circuit comprised in the lamp system is to be programmed according to the lighting plan at the manufacturing site and then, during installation, each preprogrammed lamp is to be installed at the corresponding location. Thus, a logistically complex installation process has to be performed for installing the e.g. road lighting systems.
After installation, in particular in road lighting applications, it is difficult to change the lamp settings, since safety regulations require that a supply voltage is disconnected from the lamp, when a housing of the lamp is opened. Consequently, it is difficult to supply new settings to a lamp driving circuit, since the lamp driving circuit is not powered.